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The Mystery of Atlantis Solved!

A giant tsunami destroyed the ancient civilization

By Stefan Anitei, Science Editor

20th of April 2007, 10:18 GMT

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This is how Atlantis ended
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Any myth bears a grain of truth and is not just about some stories invented by the human mind. This is also the case of Atlantis, the country swallowed by the sea.
The myth of Atlantis, the city state engulfed by the sea waters, was first mentioned by Plato 2400 years ago and has been firing the popular imagination for centuries. In reality, the legend talks about a real ancient civilization swallowed by the sea. Indeed, the Atlantic Ocean received its name from Atlantis, as fantasist imaginations placed its location in the middle of this ocean. But increasing evidence shows that this civilization could have been located in the Crete Island and matched with the pre-Greek Minoan civilization.

3,500 years ago, Minoans developed a sophisticated civilization in the islands of the Eastern Mediterranean, while the rest of the Europe was still in the Neolithic phase.
There were building palaces, paved streets and sewers. Most Europeans, including later Greeks, were migratory tribes living in primitive shelters. These pre-Greek populations could have been not even Indo-European, but rather related to the Basque or Caucasus ethnic groups.

But around 1500 BC the people who created the myths of the Minotaur and the Labyrinth suddenly vanished, as a result
of a giant tsunami or so it seems. Researchers have discovered new proofs that Crete experienced a massive tsunami by the time of Minoan disappearance.

"The geo-archaeological deposits contain a number of distinct tsunami signatures," said geologist Professor Hendrik Bruins of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel.

"Minoan building material, pottery and cups along with food residue such as isolated animal bones were mixed up with rounded beach pebbles and sea shells and microscopic marine fauna. The latter can only have been scooped up from the sea-bed by one mechanism - a powerful tsunami, dumping all these materials together in a destructive swoop," Bruins added.

The layers were detected up to 7 m (23 ft) above the sea level, much higher than the normal reach of storm waves. "An event of ferocious force hit the coast of Crete and this wasn't just a Mediterranean storm," said Bruins.

The Minoan civilization was of sailors and traders. Their towns were located mostly on the coast, exposing them to tsunami.

On Palaikastro (Eastern Crete), Canadian archaeologist Sandy MacGillivray has been excavating for 25 years in one of the largest Minoan cities. He detected here another matching situation: buildings with walls facing the sea were missing, but side walls, not exposed to giant waves, were left intact.

"All of a sudden a lot of the deposits began making sense to us. Even though the town of Palaikastro is a port it stretched hundreds of meters into the hinterland and is, in places, at least 15 meters above sea level. This was a big wave." said MacGillivary.

One issue has impeded the researchers to see clearly the case of Atlantis.

"The study of ancient tsunamis is in its infancy and people have not, until now, really known what to look for." said tsunami expert Costas Synolakis, from the University of Southern California.

Researchers had not known what kind of deposits a tsunami leaves behind it till the devastating Asian tsunami of 2004.
"If you remember the video footage, some of it showed tones of debris being carried along by the wave and much of it was deposited inland." said Synolakis.

The ancient wave could have been as powerful as the one of the Asian tsunami that killed 250,000 people.

"The Minoans are so confident in their navy that they're living in unprotected cities all along the coastline. Now, you go to Banda Aceh [in Indonesia] and you find that the mortality rate is 80%. If we're looking at a similar mortality rate, that's the end of the Minoans." said MacGillivary.

Regarding the cause of the ancient tsunami, all data point to the huge eruption of the Santorini volcano, 70 km north of Crete, which matched the data of the sudden Minoan decline.The Santorini eruption was up to 10 times more powerful than the Krakatoa blast in 1883, and volcanic stones reached even the Egyptian shore of the Sinai peninsula while it was heard at more than 3,000 miles (4,800 km) away. The falling of Santorini's huge cone into the sea during the blast must have produced the big wave. In fact, many land masses from the Aegean Sea could have sunk with the eruption (was the Atlantis city located in one of them?).

Probably the wave did not reach Knossos, the inland Minoan capital, but the massive ash falls could have ruined the crop, inducing famine and disaster in a population trapped on the Island by its destroyed navy. At the same time, Egyptian documents mention a massive invasion of the "People of the Sea", seafaring raiders that probably fled famine from the Crete Island. In Canaan, they mixed with local Hebrew people and gave birth to another civilization of seafarers, the Phoenicians.

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Comment #1 by: GeorgeosDiazMontexano on 23 Apr 2007, 14:38 GMT reply to this comment

Last the sismological studies made in the last 20 Spanish, Portuguese, North American years by specialists, and French in the area of the Gulf of Cadiz, and Straits of Gibraltar, demonstrate that between the 10.245 BC, until year 1577 (tsunami of Lisbon), they have been taken place tsunamis, associated to earthquakes of great intensity, at the rate of one every 1500 years (maximum every 2000). The calculations have done it geologists thanks to the finding of typical geologic deposits of the registry of tsunamis. Once again we are not before a mere invention or speculation born of my mind, but before results of very serious and rigorous scientific studies made by scientists of many Universities. The table of the possible registries of tsunamis that you can see in the following Link (in Spanish, and English) demonstrates that great probabilities that exist they have happened at least two great catastrophes sismic-tsunamical in same time to which Plato fixes the date of the war between Atlanteans and Athenians. As you can see the table, geologists S.M. Lebreiro, I.N. Mc Cave, and P. Weaver (1997), the Straits of Gibraltar area of and Gulf of Cadiz think that in approximately in the 1245 BC, one of these great tsunamis could happen, in. I believe thatcould be around the 1330 BC. As it wants that it is, according to same calculation of geologists, could happen another one between the 1500 BC and the 1300 BC. If it is certain that still scientists make lack more proofs, before a enough probability scientific we are elevated at least, because these calculations are sustained in the fossil registry of tsunamis in that area. They are not mere speculations without scientific fundament, all the opposite, have much scientific fundament.

We all know the list of obligatory points that the Conference of Milos the 2005 dictated for majority that should gather any hypothesis on Atlantis that seeks to be considered as a serious intent, worthy of scientific discussion. This original list of 24 points has been revised and corrected by Georgeos Díaz-Montexano in the following way:
1. The Acropolis of Atlantis should have been located where an Insular-Land used to be and where parts of it may still exist.
2. The Acropolis of Atlantis should have had a most distinct geomorphology composed of alternating concentric rings of land and water.
3. The Insular-Land Atlantis should have been located before (in front) the Pillars of Hercules, in the Pelagus Atlantic.
4. The Insular-Land denominated like Atlantis were divided by Poseidôn in ten parts or districts, and one of those ten parts was an extremity that arrived until the part of the Pillars of Hercules, and its denomination was Gadeira.
5. The Insular-Land Atlantis was (in part) from Libya, and (meizôn) so greater (or as powerfull) as Asia (Anatolia and Middle East?).

6. Atlantis must have sheltered a literate population with writing system, with metallurgical and navigational skills and use of chariot-horses.
7. The Acropolis of Atlantis should have been routinely reachable from Athens by sea; and at some time it must have contacts with the Greeks.
8. At the time, the Atlanteans should have been at war with Athenians (Poseidôn against Athena).
9. The Acropolis of Atlantis should have sunk entirely or partly below the water.
10. The Acropolis of Atlantis was destroyed in Cecrops, Erechtheus, Erichthonius and Erysichthon times, before Theseus's times.
11. The Acropolis of Atlantis was 50 stadia from the sea.
12. Atlantis had a high population density, enough to support a large army (10,000 chariots, 1,200 ships, 1,200,000 hoplites)
13. The region of Atlantis involved the sacrifice of bulls.
14. The destruction of Atlantis was accompanied by an great earthquake (seismôn) and a Kataklüsmos: “cleaning by liquid or waters” (tsunami?).

15. After the destruction of Atlantis, the passage of ships was difficult.
16. Elephants were present at least in a part of Atlantis, and ivory was used.
17. Hot and cold springs were present in Atlantis.
18. Atlantis lay on a coastal plain of 3000 stadion of Maxima length, and 2000 stadion from the sea until approximately in the middle of the plain; surrounded by mountains falling into the sea.
19. Atlantis controlled other colonies or states of the period.
20. Some Winds in Atlantis came from the north.
21. The Atlanteans constructed canals in the plain where was the Acropolis.
22. In Atlantis they were constructed “aqueducts over the bridges”.
23. Atlantis were “beneath the sun” (huph' hêliôi), expression that it indicates was - most of the year - in a sunny place.

24. Every 5th and 6th year, they sacrificed bulls.
"Milos Conference Match", reviewed and corrected by Georgeos Díaz-Montexano (2005-2007).However there are only some few points that are obligatory, the other ones they could be left as secondary. I have been able to reduce to only 10 indispensable or obligatory points. These points are the most exclusive or characteristic in Atlantis, that is to say, those points that cannot be ignored, and that they are not common to all the civilizations, that is to say that cannot be with easiness in any place of the world. In this reduction of points I have omitted the figures and measures, because the studies of the diverse codexes and MS demonstrate that big contradictions exist. Consequently, the figures of the measures and distances neither the figures of the dates can be considered as sure elements in the scientific discussion.These are that is to say the 10 key points that are obligatory, that it should complete any theory on Plato's Atlantis, so that it can be considered as a serious and rigorous intent of approach to the enigma of Atlantis.
1. The Atlantis should have been located where an Insular-Land used to be and where parts of it may still exist.
2. The Insular-Land Atlantis should have been located “before the mouth” of the Pillars of Hercules, but in the Pelagus Atlantic, not in the Mediterranean neither in another sea or the ocean.
3. The Insular-Land denominated like Atlantis were divided by Poseidôn in ten parts or districts, and one of those ten parts was an extremity that arrived until one part of the Pillars of Hercules, and its denomination was Gadeira.
4. In Atlantis, in its ground, a native human species arose, that is, indigenous a human species or endemic, that is to say, that the first human beings of Atlantis did not come from any other part of the world but that were born in he himself ground of Atlantis.
5. Atlantis must have sheltered a literate population with writing system, and endemic or indigenous language, with metallurgical and navigational skills, and use of chariot-horses.

6. Elephants were present at least in a part of Atlantis, and ivory was used.
7. The Atlantis Acropolis lay on a rectangular coastal plain, surrounded by mountains falling into the sea.
8. Atlantis were “beneath the sun” (huph' hêliôi), expression that it indicates was - most of the year - in a sunny place.
9. The war between the Atlanteans and Athenians occurred in Cecrops, Erechtheus, Erichthonius and Erysichthon times, before Theseus's epoch, that is, in the times of Mycenaean Greece.
10. The Acropolis of Atlantis should have been reachable from Athens by sea; and at some time it must have contacts with the Greeks.
Any hypothesis or theory that it doesn't respect these obligatory points, simply not even are not entitled to be considered as a serious or scientific hypothesis. Some considerations on the points 4 and 5.The study of the languages of old Iberia Nêsos that had writing, as Tartessians, Turdetanians, Iberians, etc., it demonstrates that the old residents from Iberia, before the arrival of the phoenicians, Greek and Roman, they spoke some languages that don't belong, that is to say that are not kindred, of none of the linguistic well-known families; consequently, it is impossible to sustain any hypothesis on the origin of the old residents from Iberia, without before to demonstrate that the civilizations proposed as cradle of Iberia, have the same languages. Conclusion. The proof demonstrates - until the moment - that the old civilizations of Iberia like Tartessians and Iberians are absolutely original, autochthonous, indigenous, endemic, that is to say that they had their origin in the same Iberia Nêsos, from the most remote antiquity, that is to say, from before the human being that lived in Iberia learned how to speak. The languages of Iberia, like it passed with the language of Sumerian, they were born in the same floor of Iberia makes hundred of thousands of years, or makes millions of years, because nobody has been able to demonstrate - so far - that the languages of Iberia derive of other well-known languages. When one compares the old languages of Iberia with other old languages that neither has well-known family or demonstrated as it is the case of the Sumerian, or of Basque, then the conclusion is that the old languages of Iberia, that is to say, the language of Tartessians, or the language of most of the tribes Iberians, is not Sumerian, neither it is Basque, in spite of so near Basque being geographically. Plato's texts locate Atlanteans like inhabitants of the lands that are next to Atlantic Pelagus, "before the mouth" of (pro tou stómatos) Hercules' (Gibraltar) Pillars, and next to the region of Gadeira, that is to say, in the environment of the strait of Gibraltar, and the costs of Iberia and Morocco, but always in Atlantic. This same all the authors of the antiquity that spoke of these three geographical points, say and that they spoke of Atlantis. Consequently, it is an unquestionable fact for any person that respects the scientific rigor and the truth. Then, if Atlanteans was inhabiting of the Atlantic costs of Iberia and Morocco, then Atlanteans cannot have been Etruscos, neither Sumerians, neither the same inhabitants of any other place of the Planet. Plato's Critias affirms that Atlanteans had an autochthonous origin, that is to say, indigenous, endemic, starting from Euênôr that was the first human being that arose in Atlantis, being born of the own earth, that is to say that didn't come of any part. Plato is informing us that Atlantis overcomes its origins to a human autochthonous, indigenous, endemic population that had its origin in the same floor of Atlantis that didn't come or it descended of any part, and the scientific proof they demonstrate that in Iberia - almost a million years ago - it also arose kind of a hominid autochthonous, indigenous, endemic, that is to say that didn't come of any place, because although one believes could come from África, the true fact is that it is an unique species that has not been found. so far. in any other place of the world. This species has been baptized as "Homo Antecessor", that is to say, the predecessor of the human modern species; and lastly, we have seen as well as in Iberia, the oldest civilizations had an autochthonous, indigenous, endemic language that didn't come from any place of the world. Critias also tells us that Atlanteans had its own grammar or it notarizes, and logically its own language. As before said that they were natives of a human autochthonous, indigenous, or endemic species, then it is logical to suppose that their language was also autochthonous, indigenous, or endemic, that is to say, born in the same floor, and not derived of any other nation or linguistic family.Conclusion: Plato's descriptions point to Iberia, at least like a part, or very important extension of old Atlantis Nêsos, and the autochthonous, native, or endemic character of Atlanteans, it is also confirmed by the evidences scientific pickups in Iberia. Not it exists in any other place of the planet, another Nêsos (island / peninsula) that has been next to Hercules' Pillars, next to a region of Gadeira, and next to a sea Atlantic, and that has also had a human autochthonous, indigenous, or endemic species, that is to say that has not come of another place, and that has also had an autochthonous, indigenous, or endemic language, that is to say, a language that has arisen in same Nêsos, that is to say that has not derived of other languages. Only Iberia Nêsos gathers all these requirements that are obligatory, because, simply, all these key points or indispensable requirements are all data that are written in Timaeus and in Plato's Critias.

More Info in: http://www.GeorgeosDiazMontexano.com/
http://www.laAtlantida.info/
http://www.AtlantidaPlaton.es/
http://www.laAtlantida.es/
http://www.Antiquos.com/

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